Coaches, at the start of every season, give motivational speeches to “treat this season like it was your last and give it your all!”

Parents give their children motivational pep-talks and say, “Don’t be lazy like I was, and make the most of school.”

We have no shortage of people trying to motivate. And we have no shortage of people who seek motivation.

Yet, in our culture today, we are less creative, happy, and motivated in our lives than ever before.

I can appreciate the intent behind the attempt to motivate others, and its short-term effectiveness. However, the problem is not that we lack motivation, it’s that we lack action in the absence of motivation.

When I first started writing this article, I had just got off the phone with a college coach who wanted me to come in and give a motivational pep talk to his team. I declined. Not because I was too busy. Not because I was unwilling to help this coach. I declined, because I knew it would be a waste of his money.

Sure, I could go in there and tell a great story, drop some cool quotes, and “motivate” the players. Everyone might leave the meeting feeling better about themselves and more motivated to “thrive on the challenges” of the upcoming season. I could even plant some necessary seeds for change, but without the right environment, nothing would grow.

“How do I motivate people to learn? to work? to do their chores? or to take their medicine?’—are the wrong questions. They are wrong because they imply that motivation is something that gets done to people rather than something that people do.” -Edward Deci

As much as I would enjoy giving a team a pep talk, I am more interested in helping the coach and players build an environment that is founded on healthy habits and that puts character first. Motivational quotes, speeches, and books can help us feel good, but their influence fades quickly, and as it fades, we are left with the reality that nothing has changed in our lives. Our challenges and habits remain.

We do not build character by reading motivational quotes or listening to inspirational speeches. Character is trained, forged, and built in little moments of acting “the right way” in the absence of motivation: When others aren’t watching. When everyone else would act differently. When doing the right thing will not benefit us.

Empowering vs. Motivating

“The best motivation is the belief that THEY can handle the challenge.” – Tim Elmore

When we motivate others, we play with their emotions, and we try to change them. We use external pressure, positive reinforcement, and even shame to motivate others to change.

“Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve more and live richer lives.” -Daniel Pink in “Drive”

We have to stop trying to motivate or change others. Instead, we need to focus on the three keys of intrinsic motivation: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.

How might this look in a practice? Below is a small example of how a coach can build an environment that nurtures healthy habits.

Autonomy

At every practice, designate “your time.” Allow players to work for 10-15 minutes on what they want to work on. Don’t try to exert control over them with punishments or rewards. Instead, remind them of the power of their actions and the positive consequences that will come naturally from developing healthy habits. Then, step away and let them take control of their training. No praise. No criticism.

Mastery

After a few practices with designated “your time”, offer to provide some quality instruction and a clear path to progressing the skills they are working on. Limit yourself to being “informative” and keep it short. Avoid any judgment, good or bad.

Purpose

Discuss their vision of the player and person they are striving to become. Support them in that mission by offering guidance that does not attempt to pressure or shame them into making the most out of that practice time, but instead, simply displays a willingness to help when needed.

Call to Action

We need to create a culture, and an environment, that empowers others to take healthy action and beneficial steps.

Early in your season, provide the men or women you lead with an opportunity to create a mission, define their standards of excellence, and make commitments.

Work with assistant coaches and athletes to plan the practice schedule, practice times, and days off.

Give them the challenge to plan and lead a drill they think the team should be working on during practice.

Before a game, invite them to create and present the scouting report with the team and coaches.

After a game, give them the responsibility to break the game down and identify things that others did well, areas for growth, and actionable goals moving forward.